The invention relates to a lateral airbag device.
A lateral airbag device of this type is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,030 (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). This previously known lateral airbag device has an airbag which is mounted in a flexible airbag covering in the interior of a vehicle seat, i.e. below the seat cover. In the event of an accident, the airbag is inflated, with the result that the flexible airbag covering breaks open at a tear seam provided for this purpose and releases the airbag. The seat cover of the vehicle seat subsequently tears open at a tear seam likewise provided for this purpose, so that the airbag can leave the interior of the seat and can deploy outside the vehicle seat. In the previously known lateral airbag device, the flexible airbag covering is provided with a “channel” or “slide” region which brings about a certain amount of guidance of the airbag during its inflation.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,616 (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) describes a lateral airbag device with two separate airbags. One of the two airbags is arranged in the seat back region and protects the upper body region of the vehicle occupant. The other of the two airbags is arranged in the lower seat region of the vehicle seat and, after deployment, protects the lower body region of the vehicle occupant.